Guinea-Bissau
Departure — Home village
Aliou Candé grew up on a farm near the village of Sintchan Demba Gaira. It has no cell reception, paved roads, plumbing, or electricity. As an adult, he worked the farm with his family and lived in a clay house, painted yellow and blue, with his wife, Hava, and their two young sons. On the morning of September 13, 2019—with the hope of better supporting his family—Candé set out for Europe carrying a Quran, a leather diary, two pairs of pants, two T-shirts, and 600 euros. “I don’t know how long this will take,” he told his wife that morning. “But I love you, and I’ll be back.”